The largest international congress focused upon “Health Tourism and Cross Border Healthcare” in Europe will take place for the third consecutive time at the Congress Centre of Park Hotel Villa Fiorita, May 5‐7, 2010 (www.emtc2010.com). Based upon a new organizational partnership between Health Care Strategy Intl. Munich and Sogedin S.p.A. Italy, the “European MedicalTravel Conference 2010” leverages the patronage and cooperation of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism of the region of Veneto.

Maybe it’s happened to you: you need an expensive medical procedure, but you don’t have the healthcare coverage to pay for it. Whether it’s heart surgery with the price tag of a house, dental work or plastic surgery, medical care is very expensive in the United States. So what about countries like Belgium, Mexico and India, where you can get surgery at a fraction of the cost? It’s called medical tourism, but is it safe? Here are the pros and cons, and what you should consider before going abroad to get surgery.

Pros

1. SavingsThe number one benefit is obviously significant savings. Take open heart surgery: in the U.S., you’ll pay upwards of $324,000, where in India, the surgery will cost you only $8,000. Extensive cosmetic dental work can set you back $8,000 in the States; in India, you’ll pay just $1,000.

2. No WaitWhere many procedures have waiting lists of a year or more, there’s little or no wait for medical care in many countries outside the U.S. For patients who are suffering (or worse, at death’s door), waiting can be excruciating, costing them time away from work and decreasing their quality of life.